Gas flash light apparatus



Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIEE ERNST GIDEON VIKSTEN, OF SKABSATRA, LIDINGON, AND KARL ARIEL BERITIIARD HOLM, GF STOCKHQLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN GAS ACCUMULATOR COMPANY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY GAS FLASH LIGHT APPARATUS Application filed June 19, 1926, Serial No. 117,091, and in Sweden June 20, 1925.

Our invention relates to improvements in gas flash light apparatus oi. the type comprising a casing to which illuminating gas is supplied and rom which the gas flows at intervals to a burner, the opening and closing of the outlet to the burner being controlled by a valve which in turn is mainly controlled by the reciprocations or expanding and contracting movements of a flexible diaphragm which closes one side of the said casing. The construction of apparatus as thus far indicated is known in the art and its construction and operation are well understood. The diaphragms employed in such apparatus are fienible and consist usually of leather which is porous and permits the leakage of: gas theretl'irough. As a result of such leakage, certain detects in the operation are brought about and it is a general object of this invention to provide means for obviating this objection.

It has been found that when the pipe or conduit for delivering illuminating gas to the casing which is to be supplied to the burner is closed so that the apparatus is rendered inoperative and remains closed for a considerable period of time, the gas gradually leaks from the casing through the diaphragm. It follows thereafter that when the pipe or conduit for supplying gas to the casing is opened up to render the apparatus again operative an appreciable period of time is required for a sutficient amount of gas to enter the cas ing to render the same operative. In some cases; as when the apparatus is employed as a railway signalling ineins this delay is objectionable because it is desirable that opera tion should begin without delay in order that the required and necessary signals may be given immediately to those who may be operating the trains.

It also is an object of the invention to provide accurately controllable means for supplying illuminating gas to the casing, when the apparatus has been rendered inoperative in the manner as above described, to compensate for the escape of gas by leakage thereof through the diaphragm.

Another object of the invention is to provide a by-pass pipe provided with means for regulating and controlling the flow of gas therethrough for delivering gas to the said casing when the main supply pipe or conduit is closed and also a pipe leading from the said casing having means for controlling the flow of from the casing therethrougli, the gas flowing through the said pipes differentially with respect to each other to supply the casing with gas in suiiicient quantity to compensate for the leakage thereof from said casing.

To these and other ends the invention comprehends the construction and arrangement oi parts as hereinafter described in detail, particularly pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the drawing wherein we have illustrated certain forms of means cmbodying our invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section oi? a gas flash light apparatus of known type provided with means embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modified construction of means embodying the said invention.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing I have shown a gas flash light apparatus comprising a casing 1 having a chamber 2 therein one side of which is closed by a flexible diaphragm 3 which consists usually of leather which is porous and which has been found in practice to permit the leakage of slowly therethrough. The outer edges of the dia ihradm 3 are clamped between the lower edge oi. he casing 1 and a flange upon the base upon which the casing 1 is supported. Mounted within the chamber 2 is an automatically operating valve 41 which, as result oi? the reciprocating or in ancient movements oi? the diaphragm 3 due to variations of pressure within the chamber 2, is vibrated at intervals to open and close the outlet passageway 6 leading to the burner 5.

Illuminating gas for the burner 5 is deli ered to the chamber 2 through a pipe conduit 7 provided with a valve at 8 by which it may be opened and closed. A. throttle valve 9 may be adjusted to control the rate of flow of gas from the pipe or conduit 7 into the chamber 2 to thereby control the character of the lllll justable or regulatable valve signal flashes produced by the apparatus; that is, the frequency of or the length of intervals between said flashes.

For the purpose of delivering gas to the chamber 2 When the valve at 8 is closed, I have provided a by-pass pipe 10 provided with an adjustable valve at 11 for controlling and regulating the rate of flow of gas therethrough. Another by-pass pipe 12 having a valve at 13 therein is connected at one end to the pipe 7 in advance of the valve 8 and at its opposite end to a pipe leading to a pilot burnerassociated with and in operative relation to the main burner 5. The flow of gas through the pipe 12 is controlled by the ad- Co-operating with the by-pass pipe 10 for maintaining a definite and required amount of gas within the chamber 2 during the period that the valve at 8 in the pipe 7 is, closed, is another pipe 14 leading from the chamber 2 of the casing 1. The flow of gas through the latter pipe is adapted to be controlled by an adjustable valve at 15. The pipe 14 may discharge either into the atmosphere or into the pipe or conduit 6 leading to the burner 5.

The adjustable devices such as valves at 11 and 15 in the pipes 10 and 14 respectively, are so adjusted with respect to each other that a differential flow of gas is obtained, the

' amount flowing through the pipe 10 being slightly in excess ofthat flowing through the outlet pipe 14, whereby suflicient gas remains within the chamber 2 of the casing 1 to take the place of or compensate for that which may escape from the said chamber by leakage through the porous diaphragm 3.

The regulating devices, such as valves at 11 and 15, must be so adjusted and regulated in relation to each other that suflicient gas is delivered to and retained within the chamher 2 to insure that immediately upon the opening of the valve 8, after the same has been closed for a relatively long period, the apparatus will be in condition to operate or function immediately; but not in quantity suflicient to cause operation of the valve 4.

' As already indicated the characteristic of immediate operation above referred to is essential to the practical usefulness of the apparatus when employed for signalling purposes in some cases, as in the operation of railways. 1

In Fig. 2 a device similar to that shown in Fig. 1 is illustrated. The difference consists mainly in that most of the conduits and their controlling members are provided within the casing ofthe apparatus. 7 indicates as before the main inlet conduit with the controlling member 8, 9 the throttlingmember of said main gas inlet, 10 the additional gas inlet conduit with the throttling member 11, 12 the gas conduit with the throttling member13 for the pilot burner. 14 indicates the additional gas outlet from the diaphragm casing 2 with the throttling member 15, said outlet according to this construction opening into the inlet conduit of the burner 5.

It will be seen that by our invention we have provided a novel construction which is simple in character and which is ellicient for the purpose for which it has been designed.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gas flash light apparatus, the combination of a casing for the reception of illuminating gas to be supplied therefrom to a burner, means operating at intervals to open and close the outlet to said burner, a pipe for supplying gas to said casing for the said burner, a pipe for supplying gas to said casing when the first named pipe is closed, the said second named pipe having means for regulating the flow of gas therethrough, and a pipe leading from said casing and having means for regulating the flow of gas therethrough from the said casing in relation to the flow of gas through the said second named pipe to the casing.

2. In a gas flash light apparatus, the combination of a casing having a chamber for the reception of illuminating gas, the said casing having an outlet leading to a burner, a conduit for supplying gas to the chamber for the said burner, said conduit having means for closing the same, means within the said chamber for opening and closing the outlet to said burner at intervals, and means for supplying a diflerential quantity of gas to the said chamber during the period that the said supply conduit is closed.

In a gas flash light apparatus, the combination of a casing provided with a chamber for the reception or illuminating gas, one side of said casing being closed by a flexible porous diaphragm through which gas is adapted to escape by leakage and the said casing having an outlet through which gas is adapted to be supplied from the said chamber to a burner, a conduit for supplying gas to said chamber for the burner, said conduit having means for closing the same, a pipe for supplying gas to the said chamber when the said conduit is closed, the said pipe having adjustable means for regulating the flow of gas therethrough, and a pipe leading from said casing through which gas is adapted to flow from the said chamber, said pipe having adjustable means for regulating the flow of gas therethrough, the regulating and adjustable means of the last mentioned pipe and of the said first named pipe being adapted to be adjusted relatively to each other so as to provide for the supplying of gas to the said chamber when the said conduit is closed to compensate for the leakage of gas through the said diaphragm.

4. In a gas flash light apparatus, the combination of a casing having a chamber therer sating the leakage of in, means for supplying gas to said chamber, a diaphragm through which there is leakage of gas a valve operated by said diaphragm for contrelling the escape of gas from said chamber, and additional means for supply ing gas to said chamber whereby the leakage of gas through said diaphragm Will be compensated.

5. A device of the character described comprising a chamber one side of which is closed by a diaphragm through Which there is leakage of gas, means for supplying gas to said chamber, and additional means for supplying gas to said chamber for c0mpengas through said diaphragi'n.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification.

ERNST GIDEON VIKSTEN. KARL AXEL BERNHARD HOLM. 

